Harry Potter and the Dark Lord's Apprentice
by xXThe Lost SoulXx
Summary: It is Potter's final year at Hogwarts. The summer has not been kind. Not long after Dumbldore's death, Ginny was killed by Voldemort right in front of Harry. What will this year bring? And what's with this growing attraction to Draco? Slashlemon HxD


_**Harry Potter and the Dark Lord**__**'**__**s Apprentice**_

**Chapter One: Saved**

_Ginny and Voldemort stood opposite each other, wands at the ready. The Dark Lord's snake eyes scanning her for the slightest indication of casting. A voice from the shadows seemed to slow Harry's movement, hindering him. Harry could do nothing as Voldemort drew closer to the Weasley girl.  
_

_"And now," said the Dark Lord, looking to Harry, "the end of Ginny Weasley! _Avada Kedavra!_" Ginny fell to the ground, dead. Voldemort turned to him and raised his wand. "Now, for you."_

Harry shot upright, screaming. His scar seared with horrible pain. Another terrible recurring nightmare. He sat up and wiped the sweat from his brow. He looked over at his clock and saw it was 3:30. Harry sighed and let a few tears fall. He had just witnessed again what happened over the summer. He tried, again and again to fall asleep, but everytime he shut his eyes, He saw Ginny's lifeless face. He sat upright, bringing his knees to his chest. He began to weep quietly, mourning the loss of his close friend.

"Damn it!" he said in a harsh whisper. "Another dream." His scar prickled and he rubbed it until the pain subsided. "Why didn't she listen to me? I warned her."

Harry's mind was still on the deaths of Sirius, Dumbledore, and now Ginny. Harry barely slept as it was for he was haunted by the image of Bellatrix throwing Sirius into the arch with her spell, of Snape striking the Headmaster down, of Voldemort laughing as he murdered Ginny. He had detached himself from everything and everyone, barely going downstairs to eat or anything else. Hedwig brought back letter after letter from Ron and Hermione, but Harry never wrote back.

Suddenly, there was a noise outside and Harry raced to the window. There, standing in the middle of the moonlit road, stood a young man not much older than Harry was, but he could not make out the face becuz his glasses weren't on. The boy stood opposite of what looked like an older man in a bowler hat and a long coat. They seemed to be yelling at each other, but Harry could not make out the words. It was but muffled banter. Harry returned to his bed and tried to fall asleep. Harry got out of bed and walked over to the window and peered out unto the dimly lit street of Privet Drive, the two men had vanished. He shrugged and looked up at the moon, which cast an eerie glow on his face. Somehow, the moon brought drowsiness to him. He crawled back into bed and was soon asleep.

The next morning, Harry awoke to a booming knock on his door.

"You'd better get up now, boy!" yelled Uncle Vernon from the other side of the door. "We're starving down here."

"Than cook your own breakfast. I'm not your slave boy," said Harry. The door swung open and the blurry, rotund form of his uncle loomed over. Uncle Vernon grabbed hold of Harry's ear and pulled him out of bed. He threw Harry down the stairs and he landed hard on his arm.

"Now do as I say and cook us some damn breakfast!"

"NO!" Harry yelled at the top of his lungs. "I'M NOT DOING A DAMN THING FOR YOU, YOU FAT, OLD WINDBAG!" Uncle Vernon zoomed down the stairs and rose his hand to hit Harry. Suddenly, the front door swung open and Mrs. Weasley, wand at the ready, stood before Harry's tyrannous uncle. Harry covered himself, realizing he was still in his underwear

"Don't you dare raise a hand to him or I'll turn you into a pig, Muggle," she said forcefully. "Harry, go collect your things, you're staying with us for the remainder of the summer." Harry did not hesitate. He raced upstairs and packed everything that he would need (and even some he didn't). Ten minutes later, he came down, fully clothed. "Ah, good, good. Let's be off then? I have a cab waiting for us." She helped him put his trunk in the boot of the taxicab and opened the door for him to get in. He clambered in, soon joined by Mrs. Weasley. "To the Burrow, eh?"

And with that, they shot off into the air. Harry took the time to notice that there was no driver and he felt a bit nervous.

"So Harry, how have you been faring?" she asked, obviously sensing Harry's nervousness.

"Aren't you worried that Muggles will see us?" he asked, trying to avoid her question.

"Oh, my dear boy," Molly said with a laugh. "This taxicab is invisible to Muggles. How are you dear?"

"I've been ok, I guess," He lied, turned his head and peered out the window at the countryside below . "Surprisingly, this has been the only outburst at the home since I came back. So, I'm better than normal."

"Well, that's good. I'm glad I showed up when I did. I hate to think what he might have done, should I have apparated two seconds later…" Mrs. Weasley said calmly. "Ah, here we are. Down please." The car sputtered and then descended. The Burrow came into plain view, but the Burrow now had a different look to it. It resembled more of a mansion now than in previous visits. The car continued downward until it came closer to the ground, then leveled out, coming to a full and complete stop in the driveway.

"Wow, it's changed," said Harry.

"Arthur was promoted and given an enormous raise in payment, he had the best wizard architect come in and redo the whole house. Beautiful isn't it?"

"Lovely, just lovely," said Harry. "Is Ron home?"

"Oh yes, of course!" Mrs. Weasley said. "I'll get your trunk, you go see him."  
Harry stepped out of the taxicab and headed inside the revamped Burrow. Molly followed behind, carrying his trunk. As she set it beside her, she said, "Your room is up the stairs and across from Ron's room. You can't miss it." Harry turned suddenly and wrapped his arms around Mrs. Weasley.

"It's so great to see you again!" he said euphorically, letting the tears of joy flow.

"I'm happy to see you too, Harry, my dear," she stepped back and looked him over. "My, how you've grown over the summer. You aren't so lanky anymore. You've grown into a handsome young man. You'll have to beat the women off with a stick, I wager."

"I'm already looking for a good stick, Mrs. Weasley," said Harry with a smile.

"Oh come now, Harry," she said. "You've known our family for almost seven years. You can call me Molly. Even Mum, if you like. No need for such formalities, my boy."

" Sorry, I'm just so used to it," said Harry with a nervous smile.

"Don't you worry," Molly said comfortingly.

"Where's Ron, Molly?" he asked.

"Oh, he's out in the garden, de-gnoming for me," Molly replied.

"Gotcha," said Harry. He made his way to the garden and found Ron spinning in circles as he tossed a gnome over the stone wall.

"Hey," Harry said awkwardly.

"Hey," Ron said casually. He saw another gnome and grabbed it, throwing it over the wall.

"I heard you were dying to see me," said Harry, trying to ease the tension.

"An exaggeration at best," said Ron harshly.

"I figured as much," said Harry. "Just thought I'd say hey."

Ron grunted and he continued his de-gnoming. Harry rolled his eyes and went back inside and headed upstairs. He was surprised and happy to see his trunk at the foot of his new bed. Harry unpacked his things in his new room and nestled into his new home. When he was finished, he went downstairs and saw Molly knitting a blanket.

"Mind if I join you?" he asked her.

"No luck with Ron?"

"Nope, still as stubborn as ever, I'm afraid." there was a long pause before Molly spoke again.

"We don't blame you for Ginny's death, Harry," she said, putting her knitting utensils down and looking him straight in the eye. "Don't let Ron get to you. He'll come around soon enough." Ron came in and, after noticing Harry, went back outside. Molly went to say something, but Harry stopped her.

"Don't worry about it, Molly."

"Breakfast will be ready soon," she said with a smile.

"I'm not really that hungry," he said. His stomach rumbled.

"I doubt that," she said. "Now go get washed up for breakfast, eh?"

"No, really, I'm not that hungry" he replied and went upstairs to his room. He soon found himself falling asleep on his new bed.

The next day was the visit to Diagon Alley. The tension between Harry and Ron was so thick, that it could be cut with severing charm. Hermione, Ron's off-and-on girlfriend, had come to join them, doing her best to stay neutral. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had bought all their necessary books and now sat in the Leaky Caldron, drinking butter beer.

"…And that's how I got this scar here," said a drunken man near the bar. "Damn Death Eater nearly took out me eye, I tells ya!"

"They're all over now," said another man. "There aren't many safe havens anymore. And they aren't even discreet about who they kill. These are dark days."

"I hear there is an apprentice to the Dark Lord," said another patron, an elderly witch. "Don't know who it is, but You-Know-Who's passing on his dark teachings to a child prodigy. Could do very powerful magic at a very young age. More so than Harry Potter."

"You don't say?" said the drunken man.

"It's just rumor. I doubt it to be true," said the old witch.

Voldemort had grown fearful now that Harry had destroyed all but three Horcruxes and now was teaching someone his evil ways. Harry knew that he had to stop Voldemort and the apprentice as soon as he could, but he had to first find out just who this apprentice was. He immediately cut out Malfoy, he was too obvious.

"What are you thinking?" Hermione asked, noticing Harry's furrowed brow.

"Just about what those patrons were saying," he replied. "I get so close and then another challenge pops up. It's maddening. Hogwarts is the best place to start. I mean how hard is it to weed out a magical genius?"

"You know they may start suspecting me of being the apprentice," said Hermione. "And you know Draco will spread that around."

"Didn't you hear? It's a _child_ prodigy, Hermione," said Ron with a scoff. "We just have to look for a first year kid."

"He may not be at Hogwarts," said Harry. "He may not even need to go to Hogwarts if he's a genius."

"That's true," said Hermione. "But Voldemort wants to keep an eye on you so I'm sure the apprentice would be there."

"Do we even know if it really is a boy? What's to say that is isn't a girl."

"Oh," said Harry, shocked that Ron had interjected. "You think it could be?"

Ron's lip curled and he fell silent again. Harry went to say something.

"Harry!" Hermione said, cutting him off, "fetch me some pumpkin juice, will you please?"

"Fine…" Harry said and hopped to his feet. He glowered at Ron as he went over to the bar and brushed against an attractive young man. Their eyes met and lingered for a moment. Harry gave a friendly smile and called out to Tom. "Can I get two more mugs of pumpkin juice, Tom?"

"Sure thing, Mr. Potter," said Tom.

"Thanks, Tom," Harry said and returned to his friends. A few minutes later, the young man brought Harry's drinks.

"You forgot these at the bar," said the man in a Czechoslovakian accent. "Mind if I join you all?"

"Not at all," said Ron. "I was just leaving." He got up and stalked out of the Leaky Cauldron. The young man set the platter of drinks on the coffee table and sat next to Harry.

"You'll have to forgive him," said Hermione. "He's in a bit of a mood. I'm Hermione Granger."

"My name is Malcolm Staavi," said the young man. "I'm moved here from Romania with grandparents. I will be attending Hogwarts for final year."

"You're a seventh year?!" Hermione and Harry exclaimed in unison. Malcolm nodded.

"You look like a teacher, not a student," said Hermione.

"I am seventeen years old," said Malcolm with a smile. "It is because I am taller than most students."

"You wouldn't happen to be half giant, would you?" asked Harry. "Because we know someone who is."

"No, no, I am just tall for my age," Malcolm assured. "Are you all seventh years?"

"Yeah," answered Harry. "I'm so glad to be it too."

"Yes, school is very…how do you say? Boring?" Malcolm stated.

"What school did you come from?" Hermione asked.

"Durmstrang," Malcolm answered.

"Did you know Viktor Krum?" Harry asked. Malcolm nodded.

"I knew him not very well. We had a few classes together."

"Did he ever mention me?" Hermione asked.

"Not that I recall," Malcolm answered. "Like I said before, I did not know him well."

"I'm Harry, by the way, Harry Potter" announced Harry.

"Nice to meet you both," said Malcolm. "Who was the red haired boy?"

"That's Ron," answered Hermione. "Sorry about his rudeness. He has some personal issues to work out right now."

"That is unfortunate," replied Malcolm. "He seems like he'd be a good person."

"He's my best friend," said Harry. "I love him like a brother." Suddenly, Harry's scar prickled and he saw Draco Malfoy walk in. "We have to go. Someone just came in who I'd like to avoid. See you at school, Malcolm."

"See you at school," Malcolm replied. Harry and Hermione got to their feet and headed for the door out into Diagon Alley. Harry lingered for a moment to take his last look at Malcolm. His lip curled when he saw that Draco talking to him.

Two days later, Harry, Ron, and Hermione made their way to Platform 9 ¾ and hopped onto the train, eagerly waiting to begin their final year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.


End file.
